Brace-bar automobile buffer



Sept. 11, 1923.

G. A. LYON BRACE BAR AUTOMOBILE BUFFER Original Filed Feb. 12

Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES 4 1,467,384 PATENT ornca.

GEORGE ALBERT-LYON, OI PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRLCE-BAB AUTOHOBILE BUFFER.

Application filed February 12, 1920, Serial No. 358,289. Renewed January 11, 1928. Serial No. 534,275.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon ALBERT LYON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelph a, State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Inventions Relatingv to Brace-Bar Automobile Buffers, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates especially to auto mobile buffers with which may be combined brace bars, supporting members, or auxiliary bufier portions which may be secured or connected to the automobile or other vehicle frame members to reenforce and strengthen them. For this pur ose special frame ends which may be rivete or otherwise connected to the forward ends or portions of the usual channel section frame members of the vehicle may advantageously be provided with laterally extending supporting bosses on one or both sides of each frame member and an enclosing supporting clamp may cooperate with each boss which, if desired may be recessed to receive and align the brace bar portion. The supporting box may, if desired, have retainer lugs or ortions and aligning faces to engage and a ign the supporting clamp which may enclose'the boss and cooperating brace bar or other support ing portions of the buffer so that the brace bar portions may thus be securely clamped or connected to each of the frame members so as to have a desirable reenforcing action thereon and at the same time support the buffer front of any suitable construction which may be in the same plane or bent upwards in some cases so as to be arranged in a hi her plane than the connected rear supporting portions. The brace bar or supporting portions may, if desired, have integrally or otherwise connected and loops and adj acent inturned connector ortions to which may be detachably or ot erwise connected the bufier front portions preferably formed of spring strip or other resilient elements, so that these impact receiving members may have the desired resilient action under collision conditions. It is sometimes desirable to form the brace bar or supporting portion of the buffer of one or more pieces of resilient sprin steel strip which may have double loope end ortions extending out into protective position in front of the vehicle wheels so as to form the end loops for the bufier while the connected duplex. portions give additional strength and reliability to this part of the construction and furnish a desirable connection for the sprin strip or other impact receiving memberw ichmaybe'clamped or otherwise connected thereto.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way various illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 1s a plan view partly in section showing one form of construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side sectional view taken approximately along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are plan views showing other illustrative forms of buffer.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the brace bar or sup:

porting portion of the bufi'er may comprise one or more connected strips of spring steel or other suitable and preferably resilient material having end loop portions. As illustrated the brace bar portion or strip 7 may extend beyond the special frame ends or supporting bosses 15 and be provided with stiffening connector ortions 8, 9, and 10, 11 which may extend hind and around the cooperating connector ortions 5, 6 which may have the integra end loops 3 and curved resilient portions 4 as wellasthe front connector portions 2, if desired. In this case the bufler front or impact receiving porw tions may comprise thespring channel 1 cooperating with the front connector portions and if desired having more or less aligning action thereon, these parts being connected by the enclosing clamping devices or clips 12, 14 which may be tightened around the parts by the bolts or nuts 13.

The supporting or brace bar portions of the bufier may as indicated in Fig. 2 be clamped or connected to supporting bosses 15 which may extend on one or both sides of the special frame ends rigidly connected. to the usual channeled frame members or goosenecks 22. Any convenient means for connecting these parts may be used and as indicated the supporting boss which may project on both s1 es of the framefmember may be formed with an integral connecting or securing portion 76 extending within the channeled frame member and welded, riveted or otherwise connected thereto in a rigid way. This supporting boss may of course accommodate the end of the usual spring 23 which may be secured by a spring hanger bolt 7 5 passing through the boss if ing through the ends 24 of this clamp. It

is usually advantageous to form the one or more bosses provided on each frame member with a retainer lug or portion such as 21 projecting outward to at least a slight extent beyond the cooperating face 20 of the boss which. may be substantially flat or vertical, if desired. The supporting clamp of wrou ht or malleable material may be suflicient y expanded to he slipped over this retainer portlon and then tightened inside the same which definitely holds the parts in this securing position and positively prevents the clamp slipping sidewise from the supporting boss. As indicated in Fig. 1 two such supporting clamps 16, 17 may be used on each supporting boss or frame end 15 and in this way an amply strong and rigid connection may be secured between the supporting or brace bar portion of the bufier and the frame ends so as to considerably strengthen and reenforce them against lateral yielding and breakage.

Fig. 3 shows another form of buffer in which the brace bar or auxiliary rear portion may be formed of one or more strips of tempered springsteel or other resilient strip and may have double looped end portionsso as to form the integral and loops 32, 40 and cooperating inturned connector portions extending out into protective position adjacent the vehicle wheels, if desired. The end loop 32 may have the duplex connected portions 31, 33 of the strip which may be brought together at 34, 35 adjacent the ends of this brace bar supporting portion 37 so that these duplex ends or portions thereof may be securely clamped to the supporting bosses 15 as by the supporting clamps 16, 17 of generally similar construction. Any one or more strips on the other side of the brace bar portion may i have the end loop 40 similarly supported by duplex portions 33, 39 and 35, 38 which, if deslred, may be integral with the strip on the other side of the supporting or bra'ce bar element, although this is not of course necessary in all cases. The bufi'er front may in this case be formed of one or more strips or elements of spring steel or other resilient material, such as 25, 28, which may have the ends 26, 29 extend out toward or. beyond the end loop ortion 32' or the adj acent inwardly exten ing connector portion ee'aeea cooperat' therewith to which they may be clam or connected as by the enclosing clamping device or clip 43 having the bolt or nut 13. The other ends 27, 30' of such usual impact receiving strips -or members may be similarly connected to the connector portion adjacent the other end loop portion 40 by a similar clamping device or clip 43 while one or more intermediate clips 42 may be used on this type of front portion. 1

Fig. 4 shows another 7 construction in which the brace b'ar portion comprises two superimposed strips 50veach havin integral end loops 47 and connected curvef portions 48, 49, while, if desired, the integral inturned front connector ortion 51 may be formed on each strip. hese two brace bar strips 50 may overlap each other throughout the distance between the supporting.

members or bosses 15 and this makes the buffer adjustable to a considerable extent, since the ends 54, 55 of these strips may beslid toward each other before the superimposed supporting portions are clamped or connected to the frame ends or any other suitable parts of the automobile or vehicle. These front connector portions 51 may be clamped or connected to any suitable buffer front or impact receiving members, such as the spring strips 45, 46 and for this purpose the enclosing clips or clamping devices 52, 53 may be used and clamped around these strips by the tightening bolts 13. I

Fig. 5 shows another form of construction in which the supporting or brace bar portion may be a single strip of spring steel or other resilient materialhaving the outwardly extending connector portions 62 and the curved portions 63, '64 which give greater resilient yield to the parts. The buffer front may in this instance comprise one or more strips havingend loops 58, 59 and inturned connector portions or ends 60, 61 to be clamped or connected to the cooperating connector portion 62 as by the enclosing clips 70, 71. When as illustrated the impact receiving or front portion of the buffer comprises two overlapping strips 56, 57 a considerable degree of lateral adjustment is thus secured and these front strips may be clamped in any desired adjusted position enclosing clamps 68, 69.. The supporting portion 65- of this type of buffer may be similarly clamped or connected to the automobile frame members in the manner previously-described, or if desired, other supporting devices may be used on this or other illustrated types of construction, and for this purpose separate attaching members, such as 67, which may be clamped or connected to the automobile frame members, may be formed with bent connector portions 66, so that they can be connected as by the clamping devices or clips 72, 73 to-this sltllpvportmg or transverse portion 65 of buffer. It is thus unnecessary to directly connect this or the other types .of buffer to speciial supporting bosses such as illustrated in 1g. 2.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative forms, proportions, parts, arrangements, materials, methods of connection and use, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to" be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In automobile bufiers, a resilient sprin strip supporting portion having integral en loops adapted to project into protective position adjacent the vehicle wheels and con nected double curved portions having inwardly extending ends, and spring strip impact receiving members detachably clamped to said end loops to form a resilient buffer front in connection therewith.

2. In automobile bufiers, a resilientspring strip supporting portion having end loops adapted to pro ect into protective position adjacent the vehicle wheels, and resilient impact receiving members clamped to said end loops to form a resilient buffer front in connection therewith.

3. In automobile buffers, an adjustable width supporting portion comprising multiple resilient elements having forwardly and outwardly extending integral end loops adapted to extend into protective position adjacent the vehicle wheels and having inturned connector portions and a resilient strip buffer front member adapted to be disengageably connected to said connector portions adjacent said end loops.

4. In automobile bufi'ers, a supporting portion comprising multiple resilient elements having forwardly and outwardly extending end loops adapted to extend into protective position adjacent thevehicle wheels andhaving inturned connector portions and a buffer front m'emberadapted to be disengageably connected to said connector portions adjacent said end loops.

5. In automobile buffers, a resilient strip brace bar supporting portion adapted to be connected between the vehicle frame memers and having forwardly and outwardly ex-- vehicle frame members and reenforce the same and spring strip impact receiving front members detachably clamped to said end loops to form a resilie nt buffer front in connection therewith.

7 In automobile buffers, a resilient spring strip supporting brace bar portion having end loops adapted to project into protective position in front of the vehicle wheels, supportmg bosses connected to the vehicle frame members and projecting laterally supporting clamps to enclose said brace bar portlons and bosses to securely clamp said race bar portions to the vehicle frame members and reenforce the same and impact recalving front members connected to said end loops to form a resilient buffer front in connection therewith.

8. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting rame end having an integral securing portion adapted to e connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end being formed to accommodate a spring hanger and a spring hanger bolt, said frame and being formed with supporting bosses pro ecting laterally on both sides of said frame member, and enclosing. supportin clamps to be detachably clamped aroun said bosses and the supporting members of the buffer to rigidly connect said supporting members to said frame end, said supporting bosses and clamps being formed with 00- operating recesses to accommodate and align said supporting members.

9. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end having a-securing portion adapted to be connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end being formed to accommodate a spring hanger, said frame end being formed with a supporting boss projecting laterally from said frame member, and an enclosing supportin clamp to be detachably clamped aroun said boss and the supporting members of the buffer to rigidly connect said supporting members to said frame end.

10. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile bufl'e'r, a pair of supporting frame ends each having an integral securin portion adapted to be connected to the en of the automobile frame members, each frame end being formed to accommodate a spring hanger, a spring hanger bolt extending transversely through said frame end, said frame ends being formed with rece'sses extending transversely across the vehicle to accommodate the stri supporting members of the bufier and wit supportin bosses projecting laterally on both sides 0 said frame members, and enclosin supportin clam s to be detachably c amped aroun said osses and supporting memhere to rigidly connect said supporting members to said frame ends.

11. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a air of supporting frame ends adapted to e connected to the end of the automobile frame members, each frame end being formed to accommodate a spring hanger, said frame ends being formed with recesses extending transversely across the vehicle to accommodate the strip supporting member of the louder and with supporting bosses projecting laterally from said frame members and supporting clamps to rigidly connect said supporting member to said frame end.

12. In attaching devices to. detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end adapted to be connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end being formed to accommodate a spring end and spring hanger bolt, said frame end being formed with a recess to accommodate the transversely extendin strip supporting member of the bufier an being formed with supporting bosses projecting laterally from both sides of said frame member, and supporting clamps to be detachably clamped around said bosses and supporting members to connect said supportin member to said frame end.

13. n attaching devices to detachably support an automobile bufier, a supporting frame end adapted to be connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end being formed to accommodate a spring end, said frame end being formed with means to prevent undesirable angular depresion of the transversely extending strip supporting members of the buffer and being formed with supportingbosses projecting laterally from said frame member, and supporting clamps to connect said supp'ortin members to said frame end.

14. n attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end having a securing portion adapted to be connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end bein formed with means to accommodate an support an end of one of the vehicle springs, said frame end being formed with integral supporting bosses projecting laterally from both sides of said frame member, and supporting clamping devices to detachably clamp to said bosses the transversely extending supporting member of the buffer to rigidly connect said supporting member to said frame end.

15. In attaching devices to detachably re eases support an automobile bufl'er, a supporting frame and havin a securin portion adapted to be connecte to the end of the autumn bile frame member, said frame end bein formed, Withmeans to accommodate an support an end of one of the vehicle springs, said frame end being'formed with a sup porting boss projecting laterally from said frame member, and supporting clamping devices to detachably clamp said boss to the transversely extending supporting member of the buffer to rigidly connect said supporting member to said frame end.

16. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile louder, automobile frame members, a pair of supporting frame ends. connected to the ends of the corresponding automobile frame members, said frame ends being formed with recesses extending transversely across the vehicle to accommodate the strip supporting member of the bufi'er and with supporting bosses projeecting laterally from said frame members and supporting clamps to rigidly connect said supporting member to said frame ends.

17. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile bufi'er, automobile frame members, a pair of supporting frame ends connected to the ends'of the corresponding automobile frame members, said frame ends being formed with recesses extending transversely across the vehicle to accommodate the strip supporting member of the bufi'e-r and supporting clamps to rigidly connect said supporting member to said frame ends.

18. In attachin devices to detachably support an automo ile bufier, channeled automobile frame members, a pair of supporting frame ends each having an integral portion connected to the end of the corresponding automobile frame member, each frame end being formed to accommodate a spring hanger, a spring hanger bolt. extending transversely through said frame end, said frame ends being formed-with recessed fiat supporting faces extending transversely across the vehicle to accommodate the sup porting members of the buffer and with portions projecting laterally from said framemembers, and supporting clamps to rigidly connect said supporting members to said frame ends.

19. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, channeled automobile frame members, a pair of supporting frameends each having an integral portion connected to the end of the corresponding automobile frame member, each frame end being formed to accommodate aspring hanger, said frame ends being formed wit fiat supporting faces to accommodate the supporting members of the bufier, and supporting clamps to rigidly connect said supporting members to said frame ends.

In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile bufier, automobile frame members, supporting frame ends connected to the ends of the automobile frame members, each of said frame ends being formed to accommodate a spring end an spring ha r bolt, said frame ends being formed wit recessed aligning contact portions to accommodate the transversely extending strip support member of the buffor and prevent undesirable angular movement thereof and beingformed with; supporting portions projecting laterally from both sldes of said frame members and supporting clamping means to connect said supportin member to said frame ends.

21. n attaching devices to detachably support an automobile bufi er, automobile frame members, supporting frame ends connected to the ends of the automobile frame members, each of said frame ends being formed to accommodate a spring end and spring hanger bolt, said frameendsbeing formed with aligning contact portions to accommodate the transversely extending supporting member of the bufier and prevent undesirable angular movement thereof and supporting clamping means to connect said supportin member to said frame ends.

22.111 attac ing devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end adapted to be rigidly and permanently connected to the end of the auto mobile frame member, said frame end being formed to accommodate a sprin end, said frame end being formed with a slfimtantially flat ali ing contact portion to prevent undesirabi a angular movement of the transversely extending strip supporting member of the bufier and being formed with a portion' projecting laterally from said frame member, and supporting clamps to connect said supporting member to said frame end.

23. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffena supporting frame end adapted to be rigidly connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end being formed to accommodate a spring end, said frame end being formed with a contact portion to prevent undesirable angular movement of the transversely extending supporting member of the buffer, and supporting clamps to connect said supporting member to said frame end.

24. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end having a portion adapted to be connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame-end being formed with means to accommodate and support an end of one of the vehicle springs, said frame end being formed with an integral forwardly proiecting substantially fiat supporting face ro ecting laterally from both sides of said ame member, an supporting clamping devices to detachably clamp to'said facethe transverse? extendin supporting member of the bu or to rigi 1y connect said supportin member to said frame end.

25. n attaching devices to detachably support anautomobile buffer, a supporting frame end having a ortion adapted to be connected to the end of the automobile frame member, said frame end being formed with a substantially flat supporting face; and supporting clampin devices to detachaby clamp to said face 1; e transversely exten ing supporting member of the buffer to rigidly connect said supporting member to said frame end.

26. A fitting adapted to be permanently fixed to the end of a vehicle frame member, and comprising a head projecting beyond the end of the frame member, and an integral support for a bumper.

27. A fitting adapted to be permanently connected at the end of a vehicle frame member, and comprising a shank portion extending lengthwise of said frame member, a head adapted to be connected with the end of a vehicle spring, and an integral support for the attaching member of the bumper.

28. A bumper attaching fitting adapted to be permanently built, into the end of a vehicle frame member, shank portion adapted for overlapping connection with said frame member, a head beyond the end of the frame member, and p1 suipport for a bumper integral with said 29. In attaching devices to detachablyv support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end having a. securing portion adapted for permanent built .in connection with the end of an automobile frame member, said frame end being formed with spring hanger connections and with a recessed supporting portion adapted to extend beyond the end of said frame member and having a substantially vertical transverse contact face with which a transverse buffer member is adapted to cooperate and supporting clamping means to enclose and clamp said bufler member thereto.

30. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting frame end having a securing portion adapted for permanent built in connection with the end of an automobile frame member said frame end being formed with spring hanger connections and with a sup portlng portion adapted to extend beyond the end of said frame member and havin" a substantially flat contact face with whlch a transverse bufi'er member is adapted to cooperate and supporting clamping means to connect said bufier member thereto.

31. In attaching devices to detachably support an automobile buffer, a supporting and comprising a frame end having a. securing portion adapted for permanent built in connection with the end of an automobile fre mem- 32. in attaching devices to detachably support an automobile bufier, a supporting frame end having a securing portion adapted for permanent built in connection with the end of an automobile. frame memher, said frame end being formed with an integral head beyond the end of said frame member and provided with a substantially vertical face with which a transverse bufl'er member is adapted to cooperate.

33. In automobilebufi'er attaching devices, channel sectioned automobile frame members having depending forward portions, supporting frame ends having integral securing portions extending into the channels of the frame members and'rigidly and permanently connected thereto, said frame ends being formed with spring hanger connections and being formed with aligning recesses extending transversely with respect to the automobile to accommodate strip supporting portions of the automobile buffer and having substantially vertical contact faces to be engaged by the transverse buiier supporting portions, and cooperating clamping devices adapted to rigidly connect the buffer supporting portions thereto.

' 34. In automobile bufi'er attaching devices, channel sectioned automobile frame members having. depending terminal portions, supporting frame ends having securing por ti'ons extending into the channels of the frame members andrigidly connected thereto, said frame ends being formed with spring hanger connections and being formed with contact faces to be engaged by the transverse bufler supporting portions, and cooperating clamping devices adapted to rigidly connect the buffer supporting portions thereto. A

35. In bufier attaching devices, channel sectioned automobile frame members having depending forward portions, supporting frame ends having integral securing portions extending into the channels of the frame members and permanently riveted thereto, said frame ends being formed to accommodate a spring hanger and spring bolt and being formed with substantially vertical contact faces extending transversely with res to the vehicle to engage strip supporting portions of the automobile buder, and clamping device's adapted to rigidly connect the .bufier supporting portions thereto. v

36. In bufier attaching devices, channel section automobile frame members, support ing frame ends having integral securing portions extending into the channels of the frame members and permanentl connected thereto, said frame ends being ormed with substantially'vertical contact faces extending transversely with respect to the vehicle to engage supporting portions of the automobile bufier.

37.' In automobile bufier attaching devices, channel section automoible frame memhers having. depending forward portions,

clamping devices adapted to rigidly connect the buffer supporting portions thereto.

- 38. In automobile bufi'ers, channel iron automobile frame members, supporting members having portions rigidly and rmanently connected to' said automo ile frame members and projecting forwardly therefrom and formed withspring connections and with supporting portions adapted to cooperate with the supporting portion of the buffer.

39. In automobile buffers, channel iron automobile frame members, supporting members rigidly riveted to said automobile frame members and projecting laterally therefrom and formed with supporting por tions adapted to cooperate with and engage the supporting portion ofsaid buffer, and connecting means adapted to engage and rigidly connect said supporting members and the supporting portions of said buffer. 40. In automobile bufiers, automobile frame members, supporting members rigidly riveted to said automobile frame members and formed with supporting portions adapted to cooperate with the supporting portion of said bufier, andiconnecting means adapted to engage and rigidly connect said supporting members and the supporting portions of said bufi'er.

' GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

